Jetstar: Low fares take-off for Singapore travellers to Palembang

Singapore travellers bound for Southern Sumatra start enjoying low fares from today as Jetstar Asia commences direct services from Singapore to Palembang.

The only low fares airline flying this route direct, Jetstar Asia will operate three return services a week. The inaugural Jetstar Asia flight from Singapore to Palembang landed at 1.35pm at Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport, with Jetstar Asia CEO Bara Pasupathi on board the flight amidst excited holiday-makers.

“We are pleased to be able to fulfil the pent-up demand for low fares from the second largest Sumatran city of Palembang to Singapore today.

“Our first flights from Palembang to Singapore are operating close to 80 per cent and we are encouraged by the solid bookings in December,” Mr Pasupathi said.

“The Indonesian government has been most supportive for us to bring the service to the city and to offer Palembang travellers an affordable option for international travel to Singapore. Our new travel partners in Palembang have shared how our low fares and flight times have appealed to locals, who have families and relatives in Singapore.

“From today, families on both sides of the Straits of Malacca can get to see each other throughout the year and not just for the holidays anymore,” Mr Pasupathi said.

From Singapore, Palembang travellers can enjoy better connections to even more destinations in Southeast Asia via the well-connected hub of Changi Airport, one of the busiest international airports in the world.

While for the Singapore traveller, the Southern Sumatran region has much to offer from culture to nature, Mr Alex Noerdin, Governor of South Sumatra said.

“Palembang is the capital of South Sumatra and the city has a rich ethnic diversity and historical heritage reflected in its architecture. Travellers can visit historical landmarks like Kuto Besak Fort, once the epicentre of the Palembang Sultanate, and the must-see Ampera Bridge,” Mr Noerdin said.

“Students of Southeast Asian history will be familiar with the region as Palembang is the oldest and one of the most influential ancient cities in Southeast Asia.

Visitors to ancient Palembang will see first-hand, its historical impact still evident in the people, culture and architecture. Yet, Palembang is not just about history but is a dynamic thriving city playing host to many international business and sporting events.

“Jetstar’s direct services from Singapore to Palembang will definitely bring greater convenience to international travellers as they will now be able to fly direct instead of through the other major cities in Indonesia,” Mr Noerdin added.

The new return service operates by an Airbus A320 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with a flight time of one hour and five minutes.

Jetstar Asia’s network in Sumatra will continue to deepen with the inaugural flights to Pekanbaru on 10 December.

Jetstar Group currently operates up to 122 services weekly to the Indonesian cities of Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Palembang and Bali.